With their pink shirts, hats and even capes piercing the overcast morning, thousands of metro Detroiters flooded downtown Saturday for the 18th annual Susan G. Komen Detroit Race for the Cure.

The race, which benefits local breast cancer screening, treatment and education as well as national breast cancer research, is a 5K run/walk along Woodward from downtown to Midtown, then back.

The thousands of walkers and runners, who were encouraged by nearly a dozen bands, drew cheers and stares from residents and workers.

Madge Shirley, 65, of Detroit has participated in honor of relatives, including her husband, Randal, who died of cancer 10 years ago.

"I just want to support the cause," Shirley said as she moved up Woodward. "I know a lot of people are starting to survive because we can now catch cancer in time."

Except for skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Komen Race for the Cure series is the largest series of 5K runs/fitness walks in the world, featuring more than 100 races in the United States.

Detroit pink parade fights breast cancer | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Technorati Tags: cancer, cure, fitness, walk, run